The present invention relates to a method for cooling continuously cast-steel strands. In addition, the present invention relates to a cooling apparatus capable of carrying out the method disclosed herein.
Continuously cast-steel strands have been traditionally cooled in a spray-water cooling process, in which, essentially, the heat required for vaporization of the cooling water is absorbed, to thereby carry away the heat of the metallic cast strand. In the spray-water cooling process, the cooling water does not only extract the heat from the hot cast strand but, in addition, simultaneously protects the support elements (rollers) and other structural elements of the continuous-casting apparatus against undesirable overheating (Manual of Strand Casting 1958, 188, by Dr. Hermann).
From DE-B2-913 697 it is known to use internally cooled rollers in continuous rubber casting. Rubber casting, however, is significantly and completely different in various aspects from continuous steel casting. One of these essential differences lies in the fact that, in the processing of rubber, heat must first be added to the strand and the temperature then downwardly adjusted by cooling.